The Journey of Jazz Guitarist Mike Stern
Digest
This podcast features a conversation between Cory Wong and Mike Stern, a renowned guitarist known for his fusion of rock and jazz. The discussion covers Stern's early career in New York, including pivotal gigs with Billy Cobham and a chance encounter that led to playing with Miles Davis. They delve into the nuances of Miles Davis's approach to guitar and Stern's unique contribution to his sound. Stern shares anecdotes about collaborating with Jaco Pastorius, emphasizing the balance between improvisation and structure in their performances. He details his approach to trio playing, focusing on harmonic outlining and melodic freedom. The conversation also explores Stern's consistent use of chorus effects to achieve a full, vocal-like tone, his pick technique, and his experiences touring internationally, noting the varied audience reactions in different countries. Stern discusses his recent album, the challenges of a hand injury, and his ongoing touring schedule, reflecting on the most challenging gigs he's faced, often due to difficult room acoustics. The interview concludes with Stern expressing gratitude for his career and discussing upcoming projects.
Outlines
Introduction and Early Career
Cory Wong introduces Mike Stern and his pioneering fusion of jazz and rock guitar styles. Stern recounts his move to New York, early gigs with Billy Cobham, and his collaboration with Miles Davis.
Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, and Trio Playing
Discussion of Miles Davis's use of guitar, anecdotes about playing with Jaco Pastorius, and Stern's philosophy on trio playing, emphasizing improvisation and harmonic balance.
Tone, Effects, and International Touring
Stern explains his approach to guitar tone and effects, focusing on his use of chorus and pick technique. He also shares experiences and observations from his international touring.
Current Projects, Challenges, and Conclusion
Stern discusses his recent album, challenges from a hand injury, the most difficult gigs he's played, and his future projects.
Keywords
Rock and Jazz Fusion
A musical genre blending rock energy with jazz complexity; Mike Stern is a key figure.
Miles Davis
Legendary jazz trumpeter; his influence on Stern's career was significant.
Jaco Pastorius
Innovative bassist; his collaborations with Stern are highly regarded.
Trio Playing
Musical ensemble requiring high interaction and improvisation; Stern's approach is discussed.
Guitar Tone
Sonic quality of a guitar's sound; Stern's consistent approach is detailed.
Musical Improvisation
Spontaneous music creation; a core element of Stern's playing.
International Touring
Performing globally; Stern shares experiences with diverse audiences.
Hand Injury
Stern discusses the challenges he faced and overcame due to a hand injury.
Q&A
How did your collaboration with Miles Davis shape your musical approach?
Playing with Miles pushed me to combine rock influences with jazz training; he appreciated the blend of energy and sophistication.
What's your philosophy on playing in a trio setting?
Balance harmonic support with melodic freedom; outline changes while allowing improvisation.
How would you describe your approach to guitar tone and effects?
Striving for a consistent, full, vocal-like tone using pitch-change effects and a specific pick technique.
How do you perceive the differences between audiences in various parts of the world?
Audience reactions vary by culture; core desire for connection remains, but expression differs.
What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in your live performances?
Difficult room acoustics; mitigating this through consistent sound setup and playing approach.
What are you currently working on musically?
Recently released a new album, touring internationally, and overcoming challenges from a hand injury.
Show Notes
Mike Stern has been around the block. The jazz-guitar virtuoso earned his stripes through the ’70s and ’80s in New York’s jazz scene, playing 6-string with drummer Billy Cobham before tapping in with artists like Miles Davis and Jaco Pastorius—even at a time when guitar wasn’t necessarily a cornerstone piece of a jazz outfit. In this episode of Wong Notes, Stern fills Cory Wong in on the ups and downs of 50 years spent in one of the most complex and underappreciated music genres.
Stern made the leap to New York from Boston when Davis invited him to join his band (back when jazz was the pop music of the day, notes Stern), but it was a rocky ride—Stern says he and many other musicians were “bottoming out” from addiction, until a friend went sober and convinced them to give sobriety a try. Stern talks about Miles’ hidden love for the guitar, and how he succeeded in fitting into non-guitar environments.
Wong and Stern touch on the decline of arts spaces and cultures in America (thanks, Stern says, to misallocated funding), playing gigs where the band outnumbers the audience members, the benefits of running the same rig in every room, and how to pick the right pick—for Stern, that involves a bit of wig glue. Tune in to get the details, and be sure to check out our 2018 Rig Rundown with Stern, too.
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Visit Mike Stern: https://www.mikestern.org/
Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.com
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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong
Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger
Presented by DistroKid
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